Can there be too many football clubs who have played at one ground only, across over 100 years of history? Portsmouth were formed in 1898 and have had the same name, and the same ground without a break during that time. They started life a year later in the Southern League with their first league match being played on September 2nd 1899. They won the Southern League in 1902 and 1920 (sandwiching a brief relegation) and the latter win saw them enter the Football League for the first time.

Apart from in the FA Cup, where they managed to reach three finals (1929, 1934 and 1939) their early Football League days were fairly unspectacular, although their 1938-39 Cup Final win over Wolves perhaps gave a taste of what was to happen once World War II got out of the way. They won the 1948-49 and 1949-50 Football League titles - their two and only top flight titles, but making them one of only five clubs to retained a League title since the end of the war. That 'golden era' side featured Ike Clarke, who would go on to manage Yeovil Town and take them to a Southern League and Southern League cup double during the mid-1950s.

Pompey's golden era ended in 1959 when they were relegated to second tier football, and it would take almost 30 years before they could restore that top flight status. In between that we had the start of what has been a theme of Pompey's modern era - financial problems and bankruptcy fears. November 1976 saw them needing to raise £25,000 to avoid being wound up - a comical amount given the debts they were to later mount up - but with off the field issues dominating they slipped down to the Fourth Division in 1978.

Former World Cup winner Alan Ball took Portsmouth back up to the First Division (top flight) in 1986-87. But changes of ownership and management meant that Pompey never really looked stable. Former QPR Chairman Jim Gregory, then ex-England manager Terry Venables, then Martin Gregory (son of Jim) all owned the club across a ten year period that saw Ball leave, Jim Smith and Terry Fenwick come in as managers, before Ball returned a second time.

By 1998-99, Portsmouth were experiencing their second serious financial crisis, as they fell into receivership. Milan Mandaric commenced what can be considered to be the modern Pompey era by buying the club up at the end of that season, piling money into the club, but getting through another barrel load of managers, with Ball leaving, and Tony Pulis, Steve Claridge and Graham Rix quickly coming and going across a three year period. Then in 2002, in came former West Ham manager Harry Redknapp, and with Mandaric's heavy financial backing Pompey won the Division One Championship in 2002-03 to take them into the Premier League. Despite that, friction between the pair saw them part company, seeing Portsmouth go quickly through the questionable appointments of Velimir Zajec and Joe Jordan.

Redknapp returned in December 2005, having had an ill-fated spell at local rivals Southampton. During his second spell he gave Pompey their first major honours for 58 years - an FA Cup Final win over Cardiff City, and also the first time that the club had qualified for a European competition. Pompey were now on the big stage - or so they thought.

With Mandaric having sold out to French-Israeli Alexandre Gaydamak in the summer of 2006, there had been rumours that Portsmouth's admittedly impressive rise into a top flight force had been built on castles of sand. Redknapp perhaps knew what was on the cards, and bailed out just five months after that FA Cup win, with Tony Adams and then Paul Hart taking charge. Gaydamak sold out in the summer of 2009 to Arab businessman Sulaiman Al-Fahim as the club began a fire sale of players caused by a reported £70 million debt.

By the time the 2009-10 season began, players wages were not being paid, and the club passed through the hands of Saudi Arabian businessman Ali Al-Faraj, of which there has been large speculation as to his actual identity. Pompey were in serious freefall both on and off the field, and they made history by becoming the first Premier League club to go into administration, incurring a nine point penalty on February 26th 2010.

At this point, it would be possible to write a whole book on what was going on at Portsmouth Football Club. Their debts eventually reached a total of £138 million, although even that appeared to be a figure that depended on which day of the week you were referring to, such were the level and layers of debts down at Fratton Park. In October 2010 they were bought out by Conver's Sports Initiatives (CSI), under the ownership of Russian Vladamir Antonov. But stability was to last just 13 months, as Antonov was given a warrant for his arrest under allegations of asset stripping at Lithuanian bank Snoras. CSI fell into administration in November 2011, leaving them without an owner.

It then transpired that Antonov's CSI company had been bankrolling Portsmouth, who were still over-spending, and in January 2012, HMRC issued a winding up order with the club going into administration yet again. This time they were in £58 million worth of debt, and with players earning as much as £36,000 a week it was acutely obvious where that money was draining out from, and in the two years that had passed, no lessons had been learned. A further 10 points deduction for their second administration saw them relegated to League One, and the summer of 2012 saw them face a battle of trying to get their high earners off their books.

By the start of the 2012-13 season, with the exception of a few cheap fringe players and backroom staff they were down to their Youth Team. Still in administration, the Football League rightly refused to let them sign players for anything more than one month rolling periods, and gave them another 10 point deduction, due to their failure to fulfil the terms of their 2010 CVA agreement. Eventually just as they suffered relegation to League Two the light at the end of the tunnel came - Pompey Supporters Trust bought up the ashes of the burnt out club, and so there was the curious contradiction of a club's supporters celebrating and buying up over 10,000 season tickets as they headed into League Two. In September 2014, the club hit another welcome milestone as they satisfied the payments to all the players who had left the club being owed wages, effectively wiping the slate clean. That then made the 2015-16 season the first 'clean' season for the best part of a decade. That now means that Pompey will compete against the true size of their Fratton Park crowds, rather than carrying the debt noose around their necks. They are not expected to stay in League Two for too long.

Apart from Ike Clarke above, there is currently another clear Yeovil connection between the two clubs. Striker and former manager Guy Whittingham was a striker on the club's books when Brian Hall brought him to Huish Park. His 18 goals during the 1988-89 season made him a Yeovil legend, but doubtless embarrassed the Portsmouth scouts, given that Whittingham was in the British Army, and living in Fratton whilst playing for Waterlooville, just up the road from Portsmouth! They eventually realised they'd overlooked him, and took him off Yeovil's hands in the summer of 1989. Much to Yeovil's ire, they didn't receive a penny for the player, due to the striker being unable to sign a contract at Huish as a result of his army registration papers. Nicknamed 'Corporal Punishment' he went on to have three spells with Pompey, with a total of 99 League goals scored. Having managed Newport (Isle of Wight) and AFC Newbury he returned to Portsmouth in 2009 as a development coach, and during the latter part of Portsmouth's financial problems he became their first team manager, carrying the job into the early days of their Trust ownership. More recently he's been popping up on BBC Solent's radio commentary for their games.

Yeovil Town supporters will be housed in the Milton Road end of the ground, with space allocated for around 2,000 supporters. This is a covered seated area situated behind the goal. However, you should note that this is not purpose-built seating, but a conversion job from the original terraced end, and so the seating can be a bit cramped, and you may have to be a bit choosy about seats that have poor views.

Under-18s will pay £5.00 if tickets are purchased at the same time as an Adult or Seniors ticket.

With the exception of Disabled tickets, these can be purchased via the club's online ticketing portal or via 01935-847888.

There are no matchday surcharges for this game. You can pay on the day of the match at no extra charge. For our first visit you had to visit the Frogmore Road Ticket Office which is situated in entirely the opposite side of the ground, but for our second visit Portsmouth provided a ticket booth for away supporters on the north-east corner of the ground - that's the furthest corner from the Frogmore Road side that gives the ground its distinctive facade. That booth is cash only. The Milton Road turnstiles are unmanned, with entrance via the barcode on your ticket, so keep your ticket in good condition for easy admission.

Disabled Info:

Ambulant disabled adults pay £12.00 whilst Under-18s pay £10.00. You can take an assistant with you if you are on the higher rate of Disabled Living Allowance. For Ambulant Disabled tickets call or visit Huish Park on 01935-847888. There are five Wheelchair spaces available, for away supporters. Wheelchair disabled supporter tickets must be purchased/reserved via the Portsmouth Ticket Office on 0345 646 1898 - you must book in advance as unsold spaces are sold to Portsmouth supporters due to high demand. Portsmouth's Disabled Liaison Officer is Allison McNeil, who can be reached at their Ticket Office on the same number or via allisonmcneil@pompeyfc.co.uk

The ground is situated on the east side of Portsmouth itself, in an outlying suburb called Fratton. Whilst the temptation is there to use the M275 into the City Centre, that is not the recommended route - you should be getting to the ground without needing to go via the city itself. Ditto the rail routes - if you get off at Portsmouth itself, then you're several miles from the ground.

By Road

For those travelling from Yeovil and the West Country, you'll approach the area via the M27 that runs West-East from the Southampton direction. Ignore the M275 junction that takes you into Portsmouth, and instead join the A27 Eastbound. Take the next A2030 turn-off, heading towards Southsea/Fratton. Follow the A2030, which runs parallel with the Langstone Harbour, and eventually you will see the ground in front of you.

For those travelling from London/Home Counties or from the East, the general principle is the same, except that from London you'll approach via the A3(M) and then onto the A27 Westbound. Take the A2030 turn-off towards Southsea/Fratton as above.

Parking

There is a car park at the stadium, but it's not intended to be available to away supporters, and even if you do wangle your way in, the cost of parking there is an astronomical £10.00. Fortunately you're far away from the city centre such that street parking is possible. More formal parking arrangements are available at Miltoncross School (PO3 6RB). Expect to pay around £5.00 or £6.00. Try also the junction of Velder Avenue and Milton Road which has a car park for around £5.00. We have seen suggestions elsewhere that parking is available at St Mary's Hospital opposite, but the Welcome To Portsmouth website states that this is not approved parking. There are also warnings of Residents Parking areas and matchday restrictions - this isn't the worst ground to park on the side streets, but keep a close eye on the signage as they will do clamping and towing away for those who offend. Don't head too far west of the ground or you'll end up stuck in city centre parking restrictions. The residential areas south of the ground is likely to be your best bet if you want street parking.

For disabled supporters, there are five designated spaces for fans to park at the stadium, but you will be charged £5.00 to do so. For more information please contact Marie Stedman, Stadium Support Assistant, on 023 9277 8540 or email mariestedman@pompeyfc.co.uk

By Rail

The mainline station is Portsmouth and Southsea but you'll be doing yourself a favour if you can get a service that runs to Fratton. Choose the city centre station and you've got a two mile journey, but Fratton is around five or ten minutes away from the ground. Expect around a 2 hour 15 minute journey time each way.

For those of you coming from Yeovil, you can do the journey by just one change, using Yeovil Junction --> Salisbury --> Fratton.

PompeyRama
Simple site whose main purpose is to collate an online Pompey results database. It does also act as a gateway into other sites and their recent news. Good if you're wanting to look into Portsmouth's statistical history.

Portsmouth Official Site
Portsmouth's official website. In a break from the norm, Pompey have yet to tread down the dreaded PTV chain route. Navigation is a little easier than the PTV sites, although there's still too much clutter in the design, making information very hard to find.

The Pompey Pages
Wholly independent website, largely based around a 'blog' design, but with a few more static pages added in via the menu bar. The navigation around the site takes a little bit of getting used to but nice to see a site where adverts are utterly minimal, and just related to the site itself.

True Blue Army
Out of the FansOnline chain of sites, this is a fans run website, with up to date news and match reports.

Vital Pompey
The bad news is that it's a Vital franchise site. The good news is that this one appears to be manned by a real Pompey fan!

Web Message Boards

True Blue Army Message Board
Simple and single online message board. Register to post, but can read without logging on. Part of the True Blue Army FansOnline website. Other than this message board you'll find Pompey fans also comment a lot at the foot of Portsmouth News articles to give their views.

Considering the size of Portsmouth as a city, and its proximity to both motorway and shipping routes, it's surprising to note that there is only one micro-brewery in the locality. The Irving & Co Brewery is the only proper 'home' brew so if you spot that on sale in any of the list of pubs below then bear that in mind. The majority of pubs listed are in the Fratton/Southsea area, although we have included a city centre option for those coming in via the main Portsmouth station.

Another thing to note is that a lot of the local Portsmouth pubs do not tend to serve food, unless you pick one of the 'chain' pubs. So bearing in mind the facilities inside the ground, you should note the burger van outside the stadium, whilst there is a McDonalds and a KFC between the Fratton End (opposite side of the ground) and the B&Q DIY chain store.

Club Bar :

Portsmouth does have a number of bars at Fratton Park. The Butler Reid Lounge, the Jimmy Dickinson Bar, the Montgomery Lounge, the Victory Lounge, the Chimes Lounge ... but basically nothing that any ordinary types will be allowed into. There was a marquee for away supporters, but all mention of that seems to have disappeared on more recent information.

Once inside the stadium, again expect facilities for away fans to be extremely limited. There is one small tea-bar and a set of toilets that have a reputation of being inadequate for the size of the stand. Alcohol is not served in the away area of ground as it is in view of the pitch and therefore prohibited. There are no betting facilities in this area of the ground. Best advice therefore, is to sort out your food, drink and bathroom activities outside the stadium, or expect to miss part of the match stuck in queues.

Local Pubs :

Thankfully the local area around Fratton and Southsea has a decent selection of pubs in the area. Obviously with this being a ground that attracts a five-figure crowd, expect those close to the stadium to be either explicitly home-only, or crowded enough to be home-only in practice. Those that fall into the 'avoid' category include the Milton Arms and the Newcome Arms, although expect a few other closer ones to fit into that category.

Artillery Arms: Situated east of the football ground, off Dunbar Road, and down a cul-de-sac. It's popular with Pompey fans but is far away enough from the ground to not make that a significant problem. Serves Ringwood Fortyniner, Triple fff Alton's Pride, Triple fff Moondance and two guest ales. No proper meals except on Sundays, but does sell pies/rolls on matchdays. The pub has Sky Sports and a pool table, with wi-fi facilities also available on request. There is a large beer garden which includes a covered area for nicotine addicts. Opening hours 12-11.30 Sun-Thurs; 12-12 Fri; 11-12 Sat.
Artillery Arms, Hester Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO4 8HB. Tel: 023 9273 3610. Map:Click Here.

Northcote Hotel: The Northcote Hotel is situated a mile south of the ground in the same area as the Sir Loin of Beef. Long Man American Pale Ale, Irving Invincible, Taylor Landlord, Wadworth 6X on tap. No food. Pool Table, Darts, Wireless Internet and a Beer Garden with a headed patio area for smokers. There is a public bar and a lounge bar area. Despite the name this is a pub, rather than a hotel. Opening hours: 11.00a.m. - 12.00 midnight Mon-Thurs; 11.00a.m. - 1.00a.m. Fri/Sat; 12.00 noon - 12.00 midnight Sunday.
Northcote Hotel, 35 Francis Avenue, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO4 0HL. Tel: 02392 789888. Map:Click Here.

Sir Loin of Beef: Situated a mile south of the ground, and in the same area as the Northcote Hotel, although this is the furthest east of the two. Has up to eight rotating real ales, mainly of an obscure nature, and a real cider - Gales HSB and Titanic Plum Porter are two of the regular ales. No food. They also note no TV, pool or darts, meaning this pub only serves one purpose! Opening hours: 11.00a.m. - 11.30p.m. Mon-Thurs; 11.00a.m. -12.00 midnight Fri/Sat; 12.00 noon - 11.30p.m. Sunday.
Sir Loin of Beef, 152 Highland Road, Southsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO4 9NH. Tel: 023 9282 0115. Website:Click Here. Map:Click Here.

The John Jacques: This is a Wetherspoon pub situated close to Fratton station. This is also worth noting as it appears that pubs close to Fratton Park tend not to do food - these chain pubs do so all day, at decent prices, with a fairly predictable sort of pub menu. Opening hours 8.00a.m. - 11.00p.m. although the earlier hours in these pubs tend to be for coffee and breakfasts.
The John Jacques, 78-82 Fratton Road, Fratton, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 5BZ. Tel: 023 9277 9742. Website:Click Here. Map:Click Here.

The Rose In June: Whilst most pubs listed are in the Southsea part of town, this one is situated on the A288 Milton Road about 20 minutes walk north of the ground, and so may be a decent option if you are driving and looking to park close to a pub then walk down. It's on the east side of the railway line, opposite St Mary's Hospital. No food, but does Ballard's Midhurst Mild, Gales HSB, Irving Frigate, Thwaites Lancaster Bomber and Upham Punter plus two guest ales, and two or three real ciders. Large garden with an adventure play area aimed at families. Opening hours: 12.00 noon - 12.00 midnight Sun-Thurs; 12.00 noon - 1.00a.m. Fri/Sat.
The Rose In June, 102 Milton Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO3 6AR. Tel: 023 9282 4191. Website:Click Here. Map:Click Here.

The White Swan: The White Swan will be a useful port of call for those coming into Portsmouth via the mainline station, rather than the more local Fratton service. This was a Wetherspoon pub but is now a Brewhouse and Kitchen which does a similar mix of beer and food. It's situated south of the station and very close to the New Theatre Royal, just west of Portsmouth Central Library. Does food all day with the exception of the first and last hour of the drinking day. Opening hours are 11.00a.m. - 11.00p.m. shutting half an hour early on a Sunday.
The White Swan, 26 Guildhall Walk, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 2DD. Tel: 023 9289 1340. Email:portsmouth@brewhouseandkitchen.com. Website:Click Here. Map:Click Here.

Likelihood the Natives Will Understand You :

As a naval city, and a coastal town, Portsmouth is used to outsiders coming to visit. Hopefully the dreaded 'mockney' accent has not made it this far down.

Top-Tip :

Try not to point out too loudly that Southampton are your 'other' club. It may not go down too well in these parts.

Portsmouth outside the summer may not quite be the time to go looking for the nearest beach. However, as a coastal city, it's quite touristy and has bits worth seeing. Historic naval shops such as HMS Victory can be seen in Southsea, whilst you'll find that Gunwharf Quays is a modern leisure/shopping/restaurants set-up. Most of Clarence Pier Amusement Park is closed during the winter (rides open from March until end October) but close-by you'll find the D-Day Museum. Needless to say there's also plenty of scenic quaysides and sea-views, but wrap up warm!

[No responsibilty is taken for any inaccuracies. This page is entirely the product of bias and prejudice.]